“This project is a gift from God”-Margarito Palacios, President of

 The Small Farmers Project of Lane County

Dear friend of Huerto de la Familia,                                                        December 7, 2009

            Local organic food and economic opportunities are important to many of us these days.   Huerto de la Familia addresses both of these issues through our two programs:

• Garden Education and Access: providing Latino families the opportunity to grow their own vegetables and fruits in community gardens;
• The Small Farmers Project of Lane County, a partnership with

      Heifer International that supports ten families in creating their own local farm business.   

By supporting Huerto de la Familia, you can now support a

Heifer International project right here in Eugene!

            Margarito Palacios, the President of the Small Farmers Project of Lane County, is a jovial man with a big heart and many dreams.  He came to Eugene three years ago from Chiapas, Mexico in order to be with his wife and her family, who are also participants of the Small Farmers Project.  Margarito and his wife work nights cleaning offices, businesses and grocery stores.   During the day he works on the farm.  Even now, the farmers are pruning and trellising the raspberries. Margarito dreams of the day when he can leave his night job and dedicate himself to the farm in order to work for himself and increase his income.   He dreams of leasing farm land and growing more crops. Someday he would like use the skills he has learned from the Small Farmers Project to teach people in his home state of Chiapas how to be organic farmers.

            Margarito’s story is similar to many Latinos who have moved to our community to be with family members and to work.   However, the high cost of living combined with low wage jobs and unforeseen events make it difficult for many families to buy enough food to feed themselves. Many families have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn.

            Latino families in Oregon face poverty and hunger at alarming rates, even though they are well represented in the workforce.  Consider these distressing statistics from studies conducted in Oregon:

• 70 % of Latino workers earn less than a living wage for a household of two working adults and two children.
• 89% of Latino workers earn less than a living wage for two adults (one working) with two children.
• 45 % of Latino adults in Oregon live in food insecure households; this number is even higher for families with children.  

            For the past ten years Huerto de la Familia has been teaching Latino families organic gardening skills so that they can grow food for themselves.

            Huerto de la Familia recently won the Harry Chapin Self Reliance Award through World Hunger Year in New York City.   Huerto is only one of ten recipients of this award, which attracted 225 applicants this year. The awards are presented to organizations judged outstanding for their innovative and creative approaches to fighting domestic hunger and poverty by empowering people and building self-reliance.

       Accomplishments in the Gardens in 2009

Huerto de la Familia Staff:

·                     Provided over 200 parents and their children the opportunity to garden in three community garden sites: Churchill Community Garden, Skinner City Farm and Youth Farm

• Held 18 meetings at community gardens to each organic gardening skills
• Collaborated with the Civil Liberties Defense Center to provide a “ Know Your Rights” workshop; the City of Eugene to provide a recycling workshop; and Grassroots Garden to provide a tomato canning workshop
• Provided 6 hands-on activities with the children at the gardens
• Commissioned a mural and set up a recycling station at

      Churchill Community Garden

          Accomplishments on the Farm on E. Beacon in 2009

The farmers:

• Prepared rows and planted 5,750 blackcap raspberry plants on 3.5 acres
• Prepared rows and planted 11,000 strawberry plants on 1.5 acres
• Planted hundreds of vegetable plants on .25 acres
• Installed farm infrastructure including irrigation, electricity and a tool shed.
• Members participated in  10  trainings including the Farm Business Management Program at Lane Community College, the North Willamette Horticultural Society Training and Washington Tilth Producers Annual Conference
• Conducted weekly meetings regarding farm business
• Made $10,000 from the sale of strawberries and vegetables from late August to mid-October.

            With your support Huerto de la Familia will continue to increase food security and provide economic opportunities for low-income Latino families in our community.

On behalf of Huerto de la Familia,

Sarah Cantril, MSW

Executive Director

            P.S.   Any amount you are able to contribute will benefit the health and well being of parents and children in our community.

            Any amount you are able to contribute will benefit the health and well being of families in our community. Your gift is tax deductible.

• Your donation of $50 will help subsidize a family’s garden plot
• Your donation of $100 will purchase equipment for a sink and counter on the farm to wash strawberries and vegetables
• Your donation of $200 will help purchase agricultural supplies for the farm
• Your donation of $500 will be applied to purchasing a tractor for the farm

Your donation can be made out to:

Huerto de la Familia

3575 Donald St. 145 D

Eugene, OR 97405

Your donations are greatly appreciated and directly affect the families that we serve.
Thank you for your support !

Huerto de la Familia welcomes cash donations as well as in-kind donations. We welcome donations of plants, seeds, gardening supplies, tools.

plants, seeds, gardening tools, tomatoe cages, canning jars